The Lasting Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“Yet, in spite of these spectacular strides in science and technology, and still unlimited ones to come, something basic is missing. There is a sort of poverty of the spirit which stands in glaring contrast to our scientific and technological abundance. The richer we have become materially, the poorer we have become morally and spiritually. We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers.”
(Nobel Peace Prize Lecture 1964)
Among many ways, MLK Jr. will be remembered as one of the greatest orators that ever lived. His words left a great and lasting impact. People remember him because of how he made them feel. The world he painted through his beliefs and his words is one we still aspire for. Rather than only focusing on what needed to change in America, he gave us a vision for what America could be that most people can resonate with. Most of all, he gave us a clear idea what we needed to do. That was his true genius. He knew how to resonate with the people and make us understand that there is more that unites us than divides us.
On the eve of this important holiday, I have challenged myself to spend time reflecting on my why. A clearly defined why is important to have in your pocket before starting out on any new venture. And like Dr. King has encouraged us to do in our own lives, I can dream big. I can imagine what could be and work towards it.
Sometimes the why is easy to find. Some of us may have a passion for helping others, working with children, sharing our story or giving back to the community. Sometimes we do not discover this until later in life after having gone through difficult or challenging experiences that made us stronger and more aware of the world around us. Sometimes it is hard to find our why, because we are so consumed with why things happen or what others want from us that we forgot who we are and what makes us unique. And sometimes, we may not even know ourselves. We go through life chasing other people's dreams instead of our own because we haven't really stopped to think about it.
It's not too late. Start today, what's your why?